Chances: Arsene Wenger's side finally delivered a long overdue trophy when lifting the FA Cup at Wembley after extra-time against Hull. Wenger hopes his squad, bolstered by the summer addition of Sanchez and with record-signing Mesut Ozil finally up to speed, can now kick on and last the distance in the Premier League title race, but the Gunners will again find the going tough against their big-spending rivals.

Chances: Villa have failed to kick on under Lambert, who has been hamstrung by lack of investment from wantaway owner Randy Lerner and troubled by backroom issues. However, the former Norwich boss has the nucleus of a promising side, and once things are settled off the field, expect some more solid performances boosted by Villa's lightning front line which should see them steer clear of another relegation scrap and start to look up the table again.

Chances: Sean Dyche's men drew a lot of plaudits for the manner in which they secured promotion alongside Leicester to return the Lancashire club to the Premier League after five years, but staying there will be a whole new ball game. Team spirit can only take the Clarets so far, and it remains to be seen whether Championship marksmen Danny Ings and Sam Vokes can cut it in the top flight. Could be a long battle, but expect Dyche's well-drilled side to put up more than a few good fights along the way.

Chances: Despite all of his rhetoric about little horses, Mourinho knows Chelsea would have won the Premier League last season but for slip-ups against teams they really should have put away. Chelsea have addressed their striker issue with the purchase of Costa while former Arsenal captain Fabregas will bring some dynamism to midfield. Expect the Blues to push City close again, and Mourinho not to make the same costly mistakes.

Chances: LMA Manager of the Year Pulis performed a minor miracle to keep Palace up and in the end with plenty to spare. However, his second season is likely to be even more of a challenge, but one you expect the former Stoke boss to meet head on. The Eagles, though, will certainly be well organised again and with some added goal threat, could cause teams plenty of problems to secure another mid-table finish.

Everton rounded off a successful Premier League season with a 2-0 victory at the home of FA Cup finalists Hull

Chances: Former Wigan boss Martinez showed he could make the step up when taking over from David Moyes at the start of last season, although was unable to eventually get Everton back in the top four despite the best efforts of on-loan Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku. While they may well come up short in the league again, the cup competitions are a genuine prospect for success. Oh, and watch out for a certain young Mr Barkley.

Hull's Shane Long celebrates after equalising against Fulham at Craven Cottage

Chances: Despite some off-field issues over the club's name, Hull delivered on the pitch as Steve Bruce's side not only maintained their top-flight status but also came within touching distance of beating Arsenal in the FA Cup final. New challenges lie ahead in the Europa League, and Bruce knows his squad will have to dig deep to sustain their own high standards to avoid being dragged into the relegation scrap.

Chances: The Foxes might have swept all before them in the Championship last season, but a long-awaited return to the elite will prove a different battle altogether. Pearson, though, will have his side organised and the addition of Upson will bring some experience, with much again depending on whether Nugent can take his goals to the highest level. Fail to do so, added with some flaky defending, and Leicester will be in trouble.

Chances: Despite the big hole being left by Suarez's move to Barcelona, Liverpool have been quick to bolster a squad which just failed to last the distance last season. Expect more attacking flair again from Rodgers' men, but with Champions League football thrown into the mix, another sustained title assault may just be beyond the Reds. You can bet, though, that captain Gerrard will be determined not to let this one slip, again.

Manuel Pellegrini will be determined to keep hold of the Premier League title

Chances: After finally proving themselves the big horse in the final furlong of the title race, Pellegrini has continued his quiet building programme with some solid summer purchases which will again make City the team to beat. While Manchester United's new boss will be determined to keep the noisy neighbours quiet, driven on by Toure and the goals of Sergio Aguero, don't be surprised to hear the Blues singing 'We are the champions' loudly again come May 2015.

Aug 4, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata (center) celebrates his goal with defender Chris Smalling (12) and Ander Herrera (21) in the second half of a game against Liverpool at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

Chances: United fans will be hoping Van Gaal can prove an instant success in the Premier League, having shown great confidence in taking Holland to the semi-finals of the World Cup. The Dutchman, though, will need all of his experience for what will be a completely new ball game, but following some decent summer additions, should be able to get the Red Devils firing again and turn Old Trafford back into a fortress as they chase down Champions League qualification.

Chances: Pardew made as many headlines himself as his team did last season, so everyone on Tyneside will be hoping for a much smoother campaign. In the end, a top-half finish was secured and if the summer recruits settle quickly and Pardew can let the football be the focus again, then there could be better times ahead at St James' Park. But if things don't go to plan, they could spiral downwards very quickly. Mike Ashley will be watching.

Rio Ferdinand, left, said he was ready to retire before being offered a contract with QPR

Chances: Redknapp returned QPR to the top flight at the first time of asking, just via a dramatic late winner over Derby at Wembley, which probably safeguarded the club's finances. Much will depend on how quickly the squad can adapt again to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League having been battling in the Championship. Ferdinand's experience will be key and expect more wheeling and dealing in the January transfer window to help keep the Hoops out of danger.

Chances: Saints will need to adjust to life after Mauricio Pochettino very quickly to avoid Koeman's reign turning into a survival battle. Despite the mass summer exodus, the Saints still have a decent squad and one which with the additions of Tadic and Pelle should be able to continue the development of the south coast club - although maybe another top-10 finish is out of reach this season.

Chances: Many expected Stoke to struggle last season following the departure of Tony Pulis, but Hughes' new-look side eventually found their way to a deserved top-half finish. Continued development, though, will be a harder job following a transition season, but with some promising summer additions, Stoke should again stay out of trouble.

Chances: Sunderland fans are probably still trying to work out just how Poyet managed to keep them up last season, but after having come good with such a late escape, no one at the Stadium of Light will want to go through such nerve-shredding drama again. Much will depend on how the players bond and whether Wickham can find his goals touch again, but Poyet will be determined to get more consistency and so start to look up the table.

Chances: Monk's appointment to succeed Michael Laudrup was vindicated as the Swans found some end-of-season form to pull clear of trouble. However, despite a couple of decent summer additions, the new campaign could prove to be severely testing for the Welsh club and fans' favourite Monk may well find his position under scrutiny should results prove difficult to come by.

Chances: Spurs fans will be hoping Pochettino can bring the type of football he installed at Southampton following his arrival to replace Tim Sherwood. The target is to first break back into the top four and then close down north London rivals Arsenal. The nucleus of a strong squad is there, one which will be stretched by the Europa League. Pochettino's biggest job will be in keeping everyone happy if things don't go as planned, especially hard-to-please chairman Daniel Levy.

Chances: Irvine is determined to make the most of his opportunity and prove he was not second choice after Sherwood. A couple of promising summer signings may struggle to improve on what was a poor campaign and only just avoided the drop. May well be a long season ahead at The Hawthorns, but the Baggies have bounced back from tougher times before to prove the doubters wrong.

Speculation is rife that Sam Allardyce's days at West Ham are numbered